My favorite FHE’s are the ones where one of my children taught the lesson. And not just because I got out of teaching for the week.

It’s sweet to see them sharing a thought or reading a story from The Friend with that serious, reverent demeanor they tend to have when they’re the ones in charge. Rather than resisting the idea of teaching a lesson, my children seem to love the opportunity.

In general, I let them pick their own topic and source of inspiration. On occasion I’ll suggest an idea that comes from their Faith in God booklet, or something along those lines.

If you sometimes like to do the same, this post is for you.

Below are all the requirements from the various LDS programs which require a child or youth to lead a Family Home Evening.

Faith in God

Learning and Living the Gospel, requirement #1: Explain how taking the sacrament helps you renew your baptismal covenant. In a family home evening, teach others about things we can do to remain faithful.

Learning and Living the Gospel, requirement #2: Give a family home evening lesson on Joseph Smith’s First Vision (see Joseph Smith—History 1:1–20). Discuss how Heavenly Father answers our sincere prayers. (Also counts toward the Cub Scout Religious Square Knot Patch)

Personal Progress

Faith Value Requirement #3: Living gospel principles requires faith. Read about faith in the Bible Dictionary or True to the Faith. Faith in the Savior Jesus Christ leads to action. Choose a principle such as prayer, tithing, fasting, repentance, or keeping the Sabbath day holy. In your own home or another setting, plan and present a family home evening lesson about how faith helps you live that gospel principle. If possible, ask a family member to share an experience that has strengthened his or her faith. Share your own experiences as well. In your journal write down one of those experiences and describe your feelings about faith.

Knowledge Value Requirement #4: Select a gospel principle you would like to understand better (for example, faith, repentance, charity, eternal families, or baptismal covenants). Read scriptures and the words of latter-day prophets that relate to the principle. Prepare a five-minute talk on the subject, and give the talk in a sacrament meeting, in a Young Women meeting, to your family, or to your class. Record in your journal how you can apply this gospel principle in your life.

Knowledge Value Requirement #7: At Young Women camp you learn skills in first aid, safety, sanitation, and survival. Review these teachings in your Young Women Camp Manual [link downloads PDF file] and note in your journal how you could apply them in your home to keep your family safe. Develop a list of basic supplies your family will need in case of an emergency. Teach a family home evening lesson or share with a Young Women leader what you have learned and what additional skills you would like to learn to be prepared for emergencies.

Good Works Value Requirement #4: Teach a lesson about service in family home evening or in another setting. Use pictures, music, examples, or demonstrations in your lesson. You may want to use the manual Teaching, No Greater Call as a resource.

Duty to God

While there are no longer specific requirements for young men to teach a Family Home Evening in the new Duty to God program, most “Learn” and “Act” activities are followed by a “Share” activity, which can nearly always be fulfilled by teaching a Family Home Evening lesson about the topic the young man has been studying.

"Tap Tap" Journals

There are many journaling requirements sprinkled throughout the LDS youth and Scouting programs (see below), so why not pick up one of these “Tap Tap” journals and do some good while you’re at it?

I came across these adorable journals when I discovered Project HOPE Art yesterday. They’re only $14.99 and $5 benefits Project HOPE Art and their work with Haitian orphans. How can I help but spread the word?

Also available are the “Tap Tap” Journals in white and the Haiti Mural Journal composed of mural art created by Haiti children:

That’s the one I ordered and I chose the blank page option (you can also get lined, dots, or planner pages). I think I’m going to use it to try some of Kathy Barbro’s projects, which I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. She has some new projects at her website which look like fun.

LDS Youth and Scouting Program Requirements Involving Journaling:

Faith in God – Preparing for Young Women #3: “Write in your journal how you can serve the Lord as you stand for truth and righteousness.”

Bear Scout – Family Requirement #8f: “Start your own history: keep a journal for 2 weeks.”

Bear Scout – Jot It Down Requirement #18c: “Keep a daily record of your activities for 2 weeks.”

Webelos – Scholar #5: “List in writing some important things you can do now because of what you’ve learned in school.”

Cub Scouts – Communicating Pin #2: “Keep a journal of daily activities for at least seven days.”

Cub Scouts – Reading and Writing Belt Loop #3: “Keep a diary of your activities for one week. Read it to your den or family.”

Communications Merit Badge Requirements 1a or 1b: Keeping a log of communication activities for a day, or keeping a journal of “listening” experiences for three days.

Personal Management Merit Badge Requirement 8c: “Follow the one-week schedule you planned. Keep a daily diary or journal during each of the seven days of this week’s activities, writing down when you completed each of the tasks on your “to do” list compared to when you scheduled them.”

Duty to God requirements often encourage journaling, and a general requirement of the Personal Progress program is to keep a personal journal.

Venturing Religious Life Bronze Award requirement 4b: “Keep a personal journal of your experiences each time you worked as a volunteer.” (After three months of volunteer work, see requirement 4a.)

What kid doesn’t love McDonald’s? Chicken McNuggets, Happy Meal toys, indoor playgrounds, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies. What’s not to like?

Of course, your kids DO know about the Ronald McDonald House, right?

Come to think of it, I’m not sure my kids know about it. Hang on a minute…  Okay. Now they know.

Anyway, there are lots of ways kids can help out their favorite clown and get in on the philanthropic action. Whether they want to serve from the security of their own home or make a trip to an actual House, there are lots of easy ways kids can get involved.

This is also a great way to fulfill service requirements (and a few extra requirements, depending on your chosen act of service) in the Faith in God, Personal Progress, Duty to God or Scouting programs. A handy list of links to those requirements is at the end of this post.

First, what can kids do to help?

* Collect or make greeting cards to donate to your local House. Homemade cards, new cards, or the fronts of used cards are all useful. Ronald McDonald House gives these to families, who can send them to their ill child or give them out as thank you notes.

* Collect pop tabs. Not all chapters participate in this program, so check first. Your local chapter will also be able to tell you if there are drop-off locations elsewhere in your community, or provide you with pop tab collection containers to place in new areas. This is a great way to help Houses raise much-needed funds.

* Provide service at the House. Contact your local House to see what they need. You can help serve meals, plant flowers or do some cleaning.

* Sponsor a food drive to help stock their pantry with non-perishable goods.

* Collect items for a community yard sale and donate the proceeds.

* Help prepare and serve dinner at the House.

* Plan an activity for the children living at the house, like a face-painting party or story hour.

* Bake homemade cookies, decorate them, and donate them to families staying at your local House.

* Wash the cars of the families staying at the House.

* Make quilts for the beds. Check with the House first to see what’s needed. Some Houses have nicely decorated, themed rooms (often donated to the House by individuals or groups) and so may not be in need of this.  Other Houses have worn bedding and would greatly appreciate something new and fresh!

The needs of these Houses is huge and varied. You’re bound to find something of interest to your son or daughter. For more information about Ronald McDonald House Charities or to find a local House, go to the official website right HERE.

Related LDS Youth Program and Scouting Program Requirements:

Faith in God – Serving Others requirement 1: “Read and discuss the parable of the good Samaritan (see Luke 10:30–37). Plan and complete a service project that helps a family member or neighbor. After completing the project, discuss how it helped your faith grow stronger.”

Faith in God – Serving Others requirement 4: “Plan, prepare, and serve a nutritious meal. ”

Faith in God – Serving Others requirement 7: “Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.”

Faith in God – Serving Others requirement 8: “Read the twelfth article of faith. Discuss what it means to be a good citizen and how your actions can affect others. ”

Tiger cub scout elective 11: “Help collect food, clothing or toys for needy families with your den or pack.”

Tiger cub scout elective 12: “Make at least two cards or decorations and take them to a hospital or long-term care facility.”

Wolf cub scout elective 9b/c: “Make a gift or toy like one of these (examples shown in book) and give it to someone.”

Bear cub scout requirement 9a: “With an adult, bake cookies.”

Bear cub scout elective 21b: “Help with a garage sale or rummage sale. This can be with your family or a neighbor, or it can be a church, school, or pack event.”

Citizenship cub scout belt loop requirement 3:“Participate in a family, den, or school service project.”

Reading and Writing cub scout pin requirement 2: “Read a book to a child or group of children.”

Complete a 10-hour service project for the House to complete the Personal Progress Individual Worth Value Project or Good Works Value Project.

Personal Progress Good Works requirement 6: “Spend at least three hours giving service outside your family. Ask your ward or branch Relief Society president or a community leader for suggestions for service. For example, you might take care of children while parents attend the temple; collect, make, or recondition toys or games for a nursery; accept an assignment to clean the meetinghouse; or perform errands for or read to a homebound person or others in need. Record in your journal the reactions of the person you served and possible goals for future service opportunities.”

Second class boy scout rank requirement 5: “Participate in an approved (minimum of one hour) service project. ”

Star boy scout rank requirement 4: “While a First Class Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster.”

Life boy scout rank requirement 4: “While a Star Scout, take part in service projects totaling at least 6 hours of work. These projects must be approved by your Scoutmaster. ”

This is a good idea for the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project if you turn it into something significant, perhaps raising funds in order to redecorate and update rooms at the Ronald McDonald House.

Citizenship in the Community merit badge requirement 7, which includes learning about a community service organization and donating at least 8 hours serving that organization.

Do service at the Ronald McDonald House as part of the requirements to earn the Boy Scout Special Award in honor of the late, great Jimmy Stewart, the James M. Stewart Good Citizenship award.

Venturing Religious Life Bronze Award requirement 3: “ Plan and lead a service project such as helping to build a Habitat for Humanity house, participating in a community cleanup project, or taking on a fix-up project for a nursing home or nursery.”

Choose Ronald McDonald House Charities as your organization to serve as part of the Venturing TRUST Award requirements.

Serve the Ronald McDonald House as part of the “Serve Others” requirements in the Duty to God program.

The new Duty to God booklets have made their way to meetinghouses (with more on the way – most shipments were bare minimum quantities) and you can now download the PDF version of the booklet online.

Be prepared to wait.

It’s a big file.

It takes awhile.

Additionally, the Church’s website also has videos you can watch (whether you’re a parent or a leader) to help get young men started on the new program.

It won’t surprise you to know I’m very excited about this new program and encourage parents, young men and leaders to get familiar with it. By working it. No program is all things to all people, but this is divinely inspired and blessings will come to young men and their families when it’s put into practice.

Time to pack up the family for a little road trip.

As promised in my Xanadu post, here’s a list of requirements from the various programs that may blend well with (or inspire) your family summer plans.

Well, this is part one. There are so many possibilities with merit badges alone that I scooted them into their own post, coming up later today.

If you’re specifically looking for outdoor activities (camping and more), check out my Before You Go Camping post for a succinct list of requirements for Cub and Boy Scouts.

Possible summertime-fun requirements:

Faith in God Serving Others requirement 7: “Plan and hold a parent-child activity, such as a dinner, picnic, hike, day trip, or service project.”

Faith in God Developing Talents requirement 5: “Visit an art museum or attend a concert, play, or other cultural event. Share your experience with your family or activity day group. ”

Tiger Scout requirement 1G: “Go to a library, historical society, museum, old farm, or historical building, or visit an older person in your community.  Discover how family life was the same and how it was different many years ago.”

Tiger Scout elective 22: “With your family or with your den, have a picnic — indoors or outdoors.”

Tiger Scout elective 41: “Visit a train station, bus station, airport or boat dock.”

Tiger Scout elective 42: “Visit a zoo or aquarium.”

Wolf Scout requirement 10c: “Plan a walk. Go to a park or a wooded area, or visit a zoo or museum with your family.” and 10f: “Attend a concert, a play, or other live program with your family.”

Wolf Scout elective 18a: “Help plan and hold a picnic with your family or den.” and 18b: “With an adult, help plan and run a family or den outing.”

If you like to fish, check out the six fishing activities for Wolf Scout elective 19 Fishing.

Likewise for the Cub Scout Fishing Belt Loop and Pin.

Wolf Scout elective 23h: “With your den or pack or family, participate in a worship service outdoors.”

Bear Scout requirement 3d: “Find out where places of historical interest are located in or near your town or city. Go and visit one of them with your family or den.” (Great for the Stay-cation!”)

Bear Scout requirement 5d: “Visit one of the following: Zoo, Nature center, Aviary, Wildlife refuge, Game preserve.”

Bear Scout requirement 9e: “Make some trail food for a hike.” and 9g: “With an adult, cook something outdoors.”

Bear Scout requirement 10a: “Go on a day trip or evening out with members of your family.”

More camping, hiking, picnic-ing and outdoor fun options in the five requirements for Bear Scout requirement 12: Family Outdoor Adventure.

Bear Scout elective 1c: “Visit a planetarium.”

Bear Scout elective 5a: “Help an adult rig and sail a real boat. (Wear your PFD.)”

Bear Scout elective 9b: “Visit an art museum or picture gallery with your den or family.”

Bear Scout elective 15c: “Visit a burned-out forest or prairie area, or a slide area, with your den or your family. Talk to a soil and water conservation officer or forest ranger about how the area will be planted and cared for so that it will grow to be the way it was before the fire or slide”

Bear Scout elective 16d: “With your family or den, visit a livestock exhibit at a county or state fair.”

Bear Scout elective 23e: “Mark a map showing the way to a place you would like to visit that is at least 50 miles from your home.”

Webelos Scout Family Member activity badge requirement 8: “Tell what your family does for fun. Make a list of fun things your family might do for little or no cost. Plan a family fun night.”

It would be easy to earn the Webelos Scout Traveler activity badge while on a family trip. Be sure to leave some time beforehand for your scout to help map and plan the trip.

Webelos Scout Geologist activity badge requirement 8: “Take a field trip to a geological site, geological laboratory, or rock show. Discuss what you learned at your next Webelos den meeting.”

Webelos Scout Naturalist activity badge requirement 4: “Visit a museum of natural history, nature center, or zoo with your family, Webelos den, or pack. Tell what you saw.”

For several camping and hiking activities, including helping to pitch a tent and cook outdoor meals, see the Webelos Outdoorsman activity badge.

Webelos Aquanaut activity badge requirement 6: “With an adult on board, show that you know how to handle a rowboat.”

Cub Scout Art Pin requirement 1: “Visit an art museum, gallery, or exhibit. Discuss with an adult the art you saw.”

Cub Scout Astronomy Pin requirement 6: “Visit an observatory or a planetarium. Give a report on what you learned to your den.” (If you do this, see if you can talk to an astronomer to fulfill requirement 5.)

Cub Scout Citizenship Pin requirement 10: “Attend a community event or visit a landmark in your community.”

Cub Scout Collecting Belt Loop requirement 3: “Visit a show or museum that displays different collections.”

Cub Scout Communicating Pin requirement 12: “While traveling, make a list of road signs, animals, or license plates that you see.”

If you’re going on a family trip, be sure to check out the requirements for the Cub Scout Family Travel Belt Loop and Pin.

Cub Scout Geology Pin requirement 11: “Visit a mine, oil or gas field, gravel pit, stone quarry, or similar area of special interest related to geology.” Visiting with a geologist fulfills requirement 12. If you go to a cave, have your scout complete requirement 13: “Draw the inside of a cave showing the difference between stalactites and stalagmites.”

Cub Scout Heritages Pin requirement 2: “Attend a family reunion.” In fact, if you do this you may want to read through the requirements for the Heritages Belt Loop and Pin.

Cub Scout Music Pin requirement 6: “Attend a live musical performance or concert.”

Cub Scout Nutrition Pin requirement 11: “Visit a farm or ranch. Talk with the owner about how the farm or ranch produces food for families.” (We have an olive farm nearby that features a restaurant where you can eat freshly-baked bread and olive oil. Oh yeah baby. That’s nutritional, right?)

Cub Scout Photography Pin requirement 8: “Visit an art exhibit that features photography. Write a list of some of the things you saw and felt during your visit.”

Cub Scout Science Belt Loop requirement 3: “Visit a museum, a laboratory, an observatory, a zoo, an aquarium, or other facility that employs scientists. Talk to a scientist about his or her work.”

Cub Scout Wildlife Pin requirement 1: “Visit a wildlife sanctuary, nature center, or fish hatchery.” and 7: “Visit with a person who works in wildlife conservation, such as a park ranger, biologist, range manager, geologist, horticulturist, zookeeper, fishery technician, or conservation officer.” and 8: “Visit a state park or national park.”

Cub Scout Bicycling Pin requirement 7: “Go on a “bicycle hike” with your family or den. Obey traffic rules related to bicycling.” and 9: “Visit a bicycle race or exhibition.”

If you go hiking, check out the Cub Scout Hiking Belt Loop and Pin, just released this year.

Another new one, great for summer activities, is the Cub Scout Horseback Riding Belt Loop and Pin.

If you do any outdoor activities, check out the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award, a special award that’s fun to earn and can be earned again in each successive year of Cub Scouting.

Boy Scout Second Class rank requirement 1b: “Using a compass and map together, take a five-mile hike (or 10 miles by bike) approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian. (If you use a wheelchair or crutches, or if it is difficult for you to get around, you may substitute ‘trip’ for ‘hike’ in this requirement)”

Boy Scout First Class rank requirement 2: “Using a compass, complete an orienteering course that covers at least one mile and requires measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower, canyon, ditch, etc.).”

**Look for Merit Badges in an upcoming post**

Duty to God Deacon – Educational, Personal and Career Development requirement 6: “Attend a cultural event such as a church, school, or community play, music program, or musical.”

The English version of the new Duty to God booklets are on their way to wards and branches as we speak. Yippee! They should arrive in the next couple of weeks. An interactive version will go live on the Church’s website sometime this month.

I’ll get the America Jane database updated as quickly as possible. Meanwhile, I’ll keep you apprised of any new information.

The Mogollon Rim in Arizona

My boys are off for three days of fun (otherwise known as the Fathers and Sons Campout) where there will be (I’m sure) plenty of dirt and grime and bugs and all those wonderful things boys require to be happy.

We packed plenty of clothes, blankets and extra socks, but we also threw in a short list of things my Webelos scout is to do for his Outdoorsman Activity Badge. This is a badge he needs to earn the cub scout award to end all cub scout awards, the Arrow of Light.

I also gave a list to my Wolf scout. They both know the couple of things they NEED to do (things like help pitch the tent and help make a meal) along with things they can do if they get the opportunity (like go on a hike).

We’ll see what they come home with.

In any case, I thought it’d be handy to list the scouting awards you might want to take a look at before your next camping trip.

Wolf Scout elective, “Let’s Go Camping.”

Depending on where you’re camping, there may be a wildlife refuge nearby which would make a fun trip in the afternoon. There’s a fish hatchery about a 10 minute drive from where we tend to camp and my boys love it! If you have a Bear Scout, see if there’s something in the area to fulfill requirement 5d, “Visit one of the following: Zoo, Nature center, Aviary, Wildlife refuge, Game preserve.”

Again, depending on where you go, elective 15c might be a good one to work on: “Visit a burned-out forest or prairie area, or a slide area, with your den or your family. Talk to a soil and water conservation officer or forest ranger about how the area will be planted and cared for so that it will grow to be the way it was before the fire or slide.”

Bears who go camping with their family will fulfill at least one requirement in the “Family Outdoor Adventure” category.

Other options for Bears include “Nature Crafts” and “Let’s Go Camping.”

For Webelos, the Forester, Naturalist and Outdoorsman activity badges have lots of requirements boys can work on while out in the wild.

Cub Scout belt loops and pins to check out are Family Travel and Wildlife Conservation.

Don’t forget about the Cub Scout Outdoor Activity award and the Cub Scout World Conservation Award.

As for the older Boy Scouts, some sort of camping-related requirement is part of every rank’s requirements. Most of the time, this is done with the patrol, but there are still things you can work on. Check out the rank advancement requirements to see what your son could be working on.

In addition, there are merit badges for Camping (which is required for Eagle), Canoeing, Fishing, Forestry, Hiking, and so on. Click for the complete list of merit badges and their requirements.

Duty to God gets in on the camping action too. The Physical Development category for Deacons have two camping-related requirements, #7 “Prepare the equipment for an overnight camping trip. Show that you can set up a tent, cook on an open fire or on a camp stove, build a latrine, and restore the surroundings to how they were before your stay.” and #8 “While camping, show that you know the proper way to build a cooking fire or set up a camp stove. Teach someone else how to build a fire, emphasizing 5 safety rules.”

If you have girls and none of these requirements apply to them, that’s alright. Take your daughters camping anyway.

The Restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood by Del Parson

Yesterday during the Priesthood session of General Conference, Brother David L. Beck announced an overhaul to the Duty to God program for young men.

Being a Jane, not a Jack, I wasn’t there to get all the details.

However, I do know the new books will be available in June and I know I’ll have all the new requirements on the America Jane website as soon as they become available.

Apparently the new program will have a structure that encourages young men to learn about and then put into action gospel principles and priesthood responsibilities. That’s topped off with opportunities to share what they’ve learned with others.

Sounds interesting! I’m anxious to see it.

I like this quote I found from Brother Beck’s talk: “When God entrusts you with His sacred priesthood, He shows great confidence in you.”

How true that is. As parents and leaders, we should to all we can to instill a sense of reverence for the power of the priesthood and to impress upon the minds of these young men what it means to honor that priesthood in their daily lives.

Happy Easter!

Update: The Church has a site devoted to the new program. Right now it’s just a FAQ section (in about 20 different languages), but eventually the new book will be online. I’ll keep you posted when that becomes available.